1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an article of footwear having a ribbed footbed, and more particularly to an article of footwear configured with transverse ribs of varying geometry on the footbed.
2. Description of Related Art
Increasingly, people wear articles of footwear configured for casual use, such as sandals and shower shoes. These articles of footwear are typically partially open, are easy to put on and take off, and they can be used in and around wet environments. For example, many people wear these types of footwear in casual settings, such as around the house and in informal environments like the beach or yard, including in and around water. These types of footwear are typically worn for short periods and are used on surfaces that are uneven, such as on grassy, sandy or graveled surfaces.
It is becoming common for people to extend their use of these articles of footwear to less casual environments, such as at stores and public places, particularly during warm seasons or in warm climates, and to use them for extended periods in the less casual environments as well as in the casual environments. Conventional articles of footwear of this type have soft soles that are comfortable for short-term casual use and that are flexible for traversing uneven surfaces typically encountered in casual environments, and they include raised features and/or channels in the footbed to accommodate use in an around water. While these types of articles of footwear can protect the foot from contact with undesirable surfaces and can accommodate wet environments, they fail to provide appropriate support for the foot during prolonged use.
Articles of footwear for use in casual environments including use in or around water have been proposed that include projections in the footbed of varying heights, which can elevate the foot from the footbed and provide drainage to accommodate use in and around wet environments. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,113 to Karl Birkenstock discloses an article of footwear having projections extending substantially normal away from the footbed that can be of different lengths. Another example includes U.S. Pat. No. D505,537 to Stacey Friedman, which discloses an article of footwear for use in casual environments having large ribs extending laterally across the footbed.
While there are articles of footwear for use in casual environments having projections extending from the footbed, there exists a need in the art for features that provide appropriate support for extended use in casual and less casual environments.